Apparatus for manufacturing imitation leather.



No. 632,325. Patented Sept 5, I899. J. F. ROULLEAU.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING IMITATION LEATHER.

(Application filed Nov. 10, 1898.) (No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet l.

m: "cams vzrzas co wow-Luna. WASHINGTON. u. c.

Patented Sept. 5, I899.

J. F. RUULLEAU.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING IMITATION LEATHER.

(Application filed Nev. 10, 1898.)

3 SheetsSheet 2.

(No Model.)

%w Worwe THE Nomus Pzrzns co. m1auinmwmm-momna N0. 632,325. Patented Sept. 5, I399. J. F. BOULLEAU. APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING IMITATION LEATHER.

(Application filed Nov. 10, 1898.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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JEAN FELIX ROULLEAU, ,OF PARIS, FRANCE.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING IMITATION LEATHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 632,325, dated September 5, 1899. Application filed November 10, 1898. Serial No. 696,070. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.

Be it known that I, JEAN FELIX ROULLEAU, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing in Paris, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Imitation Leather, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improved apparatus for the manufacture of imitation leather, the composition or paste for which is preferably made by intimately mixing scrap or waste leather with a solution of india-rubber in benzin, (for example, one kilogram five hundred of non-vulcanized india-rubber to twenty-five to thirty-five kilograms of benzin.) Toluene, spirits of turpentine, sulfuret of carbon, or other solvent may also be employed. To thin the solution, it is advisable to add to the benzin about five per cent. of its weight of alcohol. I add to the solution the waste leather from the scraping of glove-skins, and which consists of leather in thin filaments or in a fine state of division, like down or wool. The paste can be colored by means of soluble color or with earth colors. The paste thus pre pared is taken to the spreading machine, which constitutes my improved apparatus in its preferred form. This spreading-machine consists, chiefly, of a forcing-box containing the hereinbefore-described composition to be spread, in which works a piston which forces the said material around a fabric or cloth forming a kind of core. This fabric, covered on both sides with the composition, passes between two adjustable cylinders simulta neously with two cloths which envelop it, the whole being drawn by a metal cord wound upon a mechanically-actuated roller.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a plan of a machine or apparatus for manufacturing imitation leather according to my invention. Fig. 3 is a front elevation showing the arrangement for regulating the distance apart of the cylinders. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4 at of Fig. 3. Fig. '5 is a longitudinal section of the forcing-box and of the rollingcylinders. Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively a vertical section and a plan of the sheath or tube containing the fabric or core for the product to be obtained, with the end flanges which serve to keep it in the proper position.

The vessel A, of steel, in which is placed the hereinbefore-mentioned paste made from india-rubber and leather filaments, is closed at its upper part by a sliding cover B. It is terminated near the front by a kind of nose a, following the shape of the rolling-cylinders C C.

WVithin the vessel A is placed a removable tubular sheath D, containing the roll of fabric I). a core for the imitation leather to be made. The tubular sheath D is well secured in the vessel A by means of two end flanges or lateral supports a 0, (shown separately in Figs. 6 and 7,) fixed to the, tubular sheath D and adapted to fit the interior of the vessel A. The core fabric 1) on leaving the tubular sheath D passes between two guide-plates cl, fixed to the said sheath, and which serve to guide it to the cylinders C O.

The fabric guide-plates cl not occupying the whole length of the sheath D, the places which remain free at the ends are filled up by sheetiron strips (2. The ends of the sheath D are closed by two caps or covers, one of which is movable to allow the introduction of the roll of core fabric.

The guide-plates d d, guiding the core fab ric b, are engaged in the nose at of the vessel A. The edges of this nose should be separated from one another a sufficient distance to leave between them and the outer surface of the guide-plates d d an aperture which should not be less than four millimeters,whicl1 is the minimum thickness of the imitation leather which my spreading-machine will produce, the said thickness being subject to reduction by the subsequent operations of drying, beating, stamping, &c.

WVithin the vessel A is arranged a wooden piston E,covered laterally with leather cheeks and connected to a screwf, the rotation of which is effected by a pulley g, which is actuated by a band from a pulley g, fixed upon the main shaft G. The pulley g is provided. in the interior of its boss with a bronze bush 9 which, as shown in Fig. 5, and on a larger scale in detail in Fig. 8, (which illustrates the This fabric 1) is designed to serve as tain space between its interior diameter and the exterior diameter of the screw f. This bush 9 extends into the interior of a bracket 9 the flanges g and 9 which bear against the bracketgand against the boss of the pulley, insuring the pulley 9 being kept in a fixed position. A pin 7a, which passes through the boss of the pulley and the thickness of the bush g has its end engaged in a groove k extending along the screwf. It will be understood that the rotation of the pulley 9 causes the rotation of the screw f, through the medium of the pin 7; and groove k As a result of this rotary movement the screw f advances in a nut h, thereby pushing forward the piston E, which forces the material around the core of fabric Z).

The adjustment of the distance between the cylinders (J O is effected by means of two superposed carriages z'j, containing screws 1" j, Fig. 4. The four carriages it are operated by a hand-wheel 7c, actuating bevelgear wheels 5, which cause the screws 1 to turn. The small carriages j, movable upon the main carriages t', are operated separately by hand by means of the screws j, thereby taking up the action of the other screws and the pinions and aifording great precision in adjusting the cylinders.

The supporting fabrics m m are wound upon rollers F F, before the commencement of the operation, by means of the following mechanism: The driving-shaft G carries a pinion n, gearing with a wheel 0, keyed upon an intermediate shaft 17. On this shaft is fixed a bevel-pinion g, which gears with another pinion r, fixed on a vertical shaft 5-, upon which the bevel-pinion t can be slid up and down by operating a lever 20. In the position indicated in the drawings the pinion tis in gear with the pinion c, which causes the lower roller F to turn, through the medium of pinions m :0. The roller F operates the upper roller F by means of a crossed band w. These rollers F F in this manner wind up the supporting fabrics m m, which are placed thereon.

At the outlet of the cylinders O Q the supporting fabrics m m, which inclose the core fabric I) between them, and the paste which covers the core fabric upon its two surfaces, are gripped in an iron clip y, attached to a metal cord .2, wound upon a drum H. The rotation of this drum is caused by a toothed wheel 0, which can gear with a pinion b, sliding upon a shaft d and moved in and out of gear by operating a lever a. The shaft (2 is put in motion by toothed wheelsf' f and bevel-pinions f f f and f. The first wheel f is keyed upon the driving-shaft G.

The operation of theapparatus is as follows: The piston E is first drawn back, and by removing the cover 13 the requisite quantity of paste is placed in the vessel A and the cover restored. A roll of core fabric Z) is inserted into the tubular sheath D by removing the cap at one end thereof, and the end of the fabric is drawn out between the plates d (Z. To facilitate this operation, the cylinders O C are drawn apart by turning the wheel 70. The supporting fabrics m m are Wound upon the rollers F F, as already described, and their ends are brought together and with the end of the core fabric 1) between them are drawn out between the cylinders G 0 far enough to enable their advancing ends to be gripped by the clip y. The cylinders C C are then adjusted together to leave the exact space required between them for smoothly rolling and compressing the paste. When these preparations have been completed, the main shaft G is started, thereby rotating the pulley g and causing the piston E to advance and force the paste out from the nozzle of the vessel, while at the same time the reel H is turned to moved the cord 2 and draw the clip y at a rate of speed proportional to the rate of speed at which the material exudes from the nozzle. The exuding paste coats both surfaces of the core fabric 1), and the sheet thus formed is drawn between the two fabrics on m and subjected to pressure by the cylinders G C, by which it is spread out and made of uniform thickness. The charge of paste placed in the vessel A may be sufficient for only one sheet of the length of the fabrics m m Z) or for any predetermined number of successive lengths thereof. WVhen the spreading operation is completed, the clip 1 is removed and the sheet thus formed and held between the two supporting fabrics m m is placed upon a frame and carried to the drier. When the drying is completed, the supporting fabrics m m can be removed without difficulty, and the sheet of imitation leather obtained is ready for use for various purposes. It is particularly adapted to be figured or stamped to form decorative panels, to be used as imitation leather for upholstering furniture, for moroccoing, for making cases or sheaths, for hat-making, for the manufacture of boots and shoes, &c.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is-- 1. In machines for manufacturingimitation leather, a case having a narrow aperture, means for forcing a paste through said aperture, and means forsimultaneously passing a core fabric into contact with the paste in such manner that it receives a coating of such paste on both sides thereof.

2. In machines for; manufacturingimitation leather a case having a narrow aperture, means for forcing a paste through said aperture, and means for passing a core fabric through said aperture.

3. In machines for manufacturing imitation leather a case having a narrow aperture, means for forcing a paste through said aperture, means for simultaneously passing a core fabric into contact with the paste in such manner that it receives a coating of said paste on both sides thereof, and means for supporting said fabric after it is so coated.

4. I11 machines for manufacturing imitation leather, a case having a narrow aperture, means for forcing a paste through said aperture, means for simultaneously passing a core fabric into contact with the paste in such manner that it receives a coating of such paste on both sides thereof, and means for moving a supporting fabric past said aperture for receiving the core fabric after it is so coated.

5. In machines for manufacturing imitation leather, a case havinga narrow aperture, means for forcing a paste through said aperture, means for simultaneously passing a core fabric into contact with the paste in such manner that it receives a coating of such paste on both sides thereof, and means for pressing said coated fabric to equalize the thickness of the coating.

6. In machines for manufacturing imita tion leather, a case having a narrow aperture and means for forcing a paste therethrough, and a sheath carried in said case for holding a core fabric.

7. In machines for manufacturing imitation leather, a case having a narrow aperture and means for forcing a paste therethrough, and a sheath for holding a core fabric within said case having an opening coincident with said aperture.

8. In machines for manufacturing imitation leather, a case having a narrow aperture and means for forcing a paste therethrough, and a sheath for holding a core fabric within said case, said sheath having'an opening coincident with said aperture and having flanges adapted to guide the paste through said opening and onto said core fabric.

9. In machines for manufacturing imitation leather, a case having a narrow aperture and means for forcing a paste therethrough, a supporting fabric for supporting the sheet of imitation leather issuing from said case, and means for advancing said fabric and simultaneously actuating said forcing means.

10. In machines for manufacturing imitation leather, a case having a narrow aperture, and means for forcing a paste therethrough,

a sheath within said case for holding a core.

fabric, and means for moving two supporting 4 fabrics past said aperture for receiving the core fabric when coated.

11. In machines for manufacturing imitation leather, a case having a narrow aperture, and means for forcing a paste therethrough, a sheath within said case for holding a core fabric, and two rolls adapted to produce an even thickness of Y the sheet of imitation leather, and adapted to guide supporting fabrics past said aperture, for supporting the core fabric when coated.

12. A machine for manufacturing the hereindescribed imitation leather, comprising a case or body having a forcing-piston and provided with an outlet-nozzle formed as a long narrow aperture, a chamber in said case or body for inclosing a roll of base fabric, arranged so that as said fabric unwinds it passes out through said nozzle, two rollers arranged to receive between them the sheet issuing from said nozzle, and means for passing fabrics over said rollers so as to receive such sheet between them and for advancing said fabrics to draw out the sheet of paste as it exudes.

13. A machine for manufacturing the herein described imitation leather, comprising a case or body having a forcing-piston, and provided with an outlet-nozzle formed as a long narrow aperture, two rollers arranged to receive between them the sheetissuing from said nozzle, and means for passingfabrics over said rollers so as to receive such sheet between them and for advancing said fabrics to draw out the sheet of paste as it exudes, and means for adjusting said rollers comprising double carriages for the respective rollers, adjustable perpendicularly to the plane of the sheet, the main carriages having mechanical means for adjusting them and carrying the auxiliary carriages, and the latter carrying the journals of the cylinders, and having means for adj usting'them by hand with relation to the main carriages.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JEAN FELIX ROULLEAU. Witnesses:

.T. ALLISON BOWEN, ALEXANDRE IVIUTHIEN. 

